How can I use the account DKB-Cash optimally?

The different types of use of the account DKB-Cash are just as individual as people themselves. However, one can mention some main features:

As a Main Current Account

DKB-Cash is a full current account and even suitable for international transactions. All transactions within the SEPA-area are free of charge; direct debits and standing orders are possible; checks can be issued and redeemed; etc.

As a Credit Card

With the VISA Card, one can pay purchases within Germany and abroad, as well as on the Internet. The current account is only for the monthly billing of the credit card.

50 Australian Dollar withdrawn free of charge from an ATM in Sydney.

As a Travel Account, means of payment abroad

Thanks to the worldwide free cash supply (there is no charge even for the currency exchange), the DKB Cash is often used as a leave account. One saves the money for the vacation and can then withdraw free of charge through the VISA credit card.

Savings Account

The credit balance on the VISA credit card (VISA Sparen) has good interest rates. The interest is credited monthly, so that a small compound interest effect takes place. Without notice period, one can access the money at any time.

Emergency Account

The account DKB-Cash is also used as an emergency account. This applies especially to customers outside Germany. They use the DKB to park their money in a safe German state bank. This is partly due to the fact that people lost faith in local banks. And even if the currency Euro shall break apart, the money would be in Germany in the future „tough zone“.

Money Transfer Account

As one can withdraw the money from any VISA-enabled ATM free of charge and without any exchange fees, there are different ways to use the account and the credit card for the money transfer. For example, a worker can send a part of his salary to his family abroad …

Tip for a smart usage of the DKB conditions

Apply for a second VISA credit card. Use the first one for payments. There are no lending rates up to 30 days. Between the 20th and the 22nd of each month, the credit card balance will be offset against the current account balance.

The second VISA credit card can be used as a savings account. Each day will accrue interest. The interest will be credited monthly.

… This way you can use the DKB interest-optimized.

How many people are using the DKB account + VISA Card?

Already 2.7 million German-speaking people use the free online current account „DKB Cash“. About 100,000 live outside Germany. 22,000 customers are in Austria and 12,000 in Switzerland (Status as of: 2013).

66,000 customers are in non-German-speaking countries. 195 countries are officially acknowledged by the UN (United Nations). In 193 of them, there are DKB-customers. Only in Vatican City and in North Korea, there are no DKB customers.

How does the DKB earn money?

A bank account in which everything is free of charge. One must ask the question: How does the bank earn money?

The DKB has three possibilities to earn money from its customers:

Credit Card transactions

Whenever you use your credit card to pay for products or services (no cash withdrawals from ATMs), the trader has to pay a revenue-based fee to the credit card company.

Savings Deposits (interest margin business)

The VISA credit card or a second VISA credit card can be used as a savings account due to the great interest rate. The DKB borrows deposits as credits, especially in residential constructions and renewable energies in Germany and receives therefore higher interest.

Overdraft Interest

If the DKB current account goes into deficit, the customer will be charged lending rates.

Why does the DKB open bank accounts for people outside Germany?

The Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB) is to 100% a subsidiary of the Bayerische Landesbank. So it is a state bank of the free state of Bavaria (1 of 16 federal states of Germany).

It is often custom for state banks that a little politics play a role when creating an offer. At the DKB, anyone who understands German language can apply for a bank account. This is regardless of the nationality or the place of residence.

So it happens that the offer from the DKB is used by German citizens abroad, emigrants, foreign students, Work&Travel-people and diplomats.

It is also interesting that the deposit amount (VISA Sparen) of customers outside Germany is about twice as much. This shows true faith in the economic strength of the bank, in Germany and of course in the deposit insurance system.

Especially south-European customers park their liquidity increasingly in German bank accounts. Therefore, the account DKB-Cash with a monthly interest payment as well as the possibility to withdraw cash anytime and free of charge from any of the 2 million VISA-ATMs is nothing less than perfect.

“Apply now for the DKB-Cash”

Questions about the DKB?

Since 2004, my team and I use the DKB within Germany and abroad. One can say that we have become real DKB-experts. Take advantage of our experiences for your ideas. Post your question as a comment here. We would be pleased to help you.

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DKB with Visa Card – Free of Charge!, 3.9 out of 5 based on 17 ratings

Who writes here?

Someone who has helped more than 100,000 people to obtain a new bank account in the past 7 years. My name is Tanja and if you continue reading, you will find out why I and this page exist ⇒ read more.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. The identity check is required by law. There has to be a reliable procedure.

In general, the identity confirmation is accepted for South Africans if it is conducted by a notary. DKB also accepts confirmations by lawyers and other banks.

The important question is: why should DKB open an account for you? The account is free-of-charge for customers, so the bank bears all the costs including those for cash withdrawals from ATMs all over the world. So the bank needs to profit from the account in some other way. It could do so if you deposited money and used the account for savings or if you used the Visa Card regularly to buy things (the bank profits from fees that the merchant pays).

Recently, the bank assessed that customers who don’t have a clear relation to Germany hardly use the account. Furthermore, opening accounts abroad implies much higher costs for the bank.

DKB is therefore reserved about opening accounts for foreigners with residence outside Germany now – at least until the introduction of the new system to confirm the identities of customers.

There are a few options though:

You can open the account as a joint account with a German (possible if you are married to a German).

You can convince the bank that it makes sense to open the account for you, for example if you regularly obtain rental income from Germany, in case you often stay in Germany or in case you own property in Germany.

Good evening Tania ,
just one simple question , is it possible after opening the
DKB-Cash: Weltweit bezahlen und kostenfrei Geld abheben to order a checkbook or to open a linked account that could come with a check book ? Alternatively , can you order cashier checks/ bank checks if needed and have them mailed to you or to the third party ….? You are doing a good job , keep on…

Yes, it’s possible to order personalized check forms from DKB and it’s even free of charge!

There isn’t a checkbook though, the checks are single sheets. You can order them via e-mail or phone. Specify how many checks you need, for example 5, 12 or 34 checks. They will be mailed to you for free.

#3 – Is the visa card a real visa card or is it one of these debit cards that needs to have credit on it in order to be used?

#2 – I am interested in this idea of having an extra visa set up as a savings account. Does that mean that I just add cash as if it is a savings account and hide the card on myself to avoid spending my hard earned savings?

Unfortunately, I attempted to open this account as U. S. Citizen, was rejected despite a decent salary input. The message I received said I have to be a resident of Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Are the any alternatives? I plan on visiting Germany at least once or twice this year thus need a simple current account with a possible credit card facility in the Euro that isn’t too cost prohibitive.

Currently, a new provider is starting. You could open an account there and state the address of your friend. However, your name has to be on the letter box in order to receive the MasterCard. The MasterCard will be the only mail sent. Consecutively, your friend could forward the card to you.

I was almost able to get the Pay Center account fully open. However Deutsches Post is a big pain. I went to two and couldn’t complete the identification proceedure. The DP people won’t accept my American passport nor an oral statement without a paper from the police indicating my German address. Pay Center doesn’t require a German address but Deutsches Post does. Therefore, I conclude there is a zero chance than someone who is not a German resident to open a full German account. Sadly, was informed Pay Center can not help and already paid the fees yet can not use the account. Please provide a real solution for people outside of Germany. Thanks!

You know people are different. People work different. In our area we have very good experience with the post. They accept also foreign passports, because it is necessary. We have so many foreign people in Germany, which need identification (PostIdent) for opening a bank account. That trying is not a justice way, but a practice. Good luck!

Yes, I agree…however, it is the German address and so I will need a way to prove this somehow…are there solutions that are acceptable? I can retry in 6 months time which I was planning to, it seems the luck of who is working there at the time. In Berlin, I didn’t see many post offices. Perhaps, you know of a better location where a foriegn address is accepted rather than a German one.

Hello, I am currently in Berlin and need to open a German bank account quickly.

I am need to show “Proof of Financial Resources” to receive a visa at the immigration office for a short language course enrollment. It is possible to open an account and deposit funds in cash? I brought cash from US and need to deposit US dollars to an account by hand.

Is this even possible?..given that they are an online bank and have no branches to drop off money to. This is an especially challenging situation because I have US dollars that have to be converted at market rate without incurring fees.

If not then I would assume that I would need to set up an account with a different German bank and later transfer the funds to DXB electronically to get an account.

Thanks so much for your input. I need to get this all sorted all this week and want to have the best bank. I just need to understand if it possible given my situation.

The DKB is the best German direct bank for millions of bank customers. It is a bank that is interested in building a long-term customer relationship. It is not the right bank to open an account fast in order to obtain proof of financing. There are no accounts in US dollars at the DKB.

We recommend you to visit a branch office of a local bank. This has the advantage that you can open your account immediately. In addition, you can immediately deposit money too. However, only very few German banks offer USD accounts. If you deposit US dollars, you must reckon with fees.

Possibly, the staff members in a branch office of the Deutsche Bank will be able to help you best. Good Luck!

PS: There is an online account with immediate account opening and the legitimating can be made through PostIdent as well. Therefore, this German bank account would be ready for usage already on the same day. The depositing could take place via a cash deposit and money transfer from a local bank (fee between Euros 5-10). However, we are not sure, if this is right thing for you. Further information: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/account/online/

Thank you very much for the useful feedback. I also think that it would be best to go to a local bank now.

I am interested in keeping my account long term as I will be moving from Berlin to Austria in the fall after the course; so I was trying to avoid having to switch banks down the road. That’s why DKB was so attractive especially with ATM withdrawal anywhere. German government requires a deposit of 8,000 euros for resident visa; which is no problem…except I have that in cash now US dollar which must be converted and deposited.

I understand that through this process I will have to reckon with fees, but hopefully they will be reasonable.

I also have been researching commdirect bank~ I thought that this could also be an option. I have read that cards are usually issued after 1 week and cash can be deposited by hand at any commerzbank location in person as they are related. I understand the online site is in German, but that is not so much a problem. Do you think that commdirect bank could be a possibility?

Also, if it is a possibility: I know they issue cards by mail which is no problem; but I wonder if they can also issue them at related commerz branch location as easier option?

The Comdirect Bank is the best direct bank in Germany, right after the DKB (in our opinion). It is correct that one can deposit and withdraw cash in branch offices of the Commerzbank free of charge. This applies at least to Euros.

If you open a current account at this bank, it will be possible that the bank card and further mail will be sent to you abroad. The Comdirect and the DKB are of the very few German banks, which do this.

The challenge in the current account opening is the creditworthiness check. If someone just recently moved to Germany, then there is hardly any data available to perform it (SCHUFA-query / Credit History).

However, you can always try to open the account and wait to see what happens. Good luck!

Thanks again for the information. Your feedback was very helpful. I am currently in Germany so mailing the card abroad would not be an issue, but I am concerned about the creditworthiness check. I will try to open an account and see what happens.

My wife and i have a joint account with 1 giropay card each and one visa card each.

We have 2 standing orders from the Current account that go out at the beginning of the month.

Our salaries go into the current account at the end of each month.

Can you please tell us the best simple way to gain the most out of our accounts please?

Should we apply for 2nd credit cards each for savings and what standing orders to the credit cards would you recommend. Ive read a few articles but im getting a bit confused now and a simple solid way of doing whats best would be fantastic.

You probably know that banks are profit-oriented businesses and ask the question at every account opening, „Will we gain profit from this account?”. This question is more difficult to answer for a bank that offers a free current account with a free VISA credit card – which also bears the fees for cash withdrawals – than for a conventional bank.

Being a DKB expert, I assume that the combination of a scholarship and a temporally limited stay in Germany resulted in the non-opening of the account. The DKB probably did not see the slightest chance that the costs will be covered.

This is a pity and I am personally sorry to hear that, because it is nice when young people, who temporarily live in Germany, are interested to get one of the best bank accounts (and possibly keep this in the longer term).

Pay Center allows English, and can be opened immediately. I will caution as if you are not able to be identified within Germany via your passport and a German address, then you will only be able to make deposits but not full account functionality. Hope this helps.

Hello,
I have just retired and live in England, but receive rental income from Germany (where my family came from) and pension payments from Italy and France. So I would like a Euro account to store the Euros before I spend them using a card.
I tried applying online after reading this forum, but my application has been rejected, and nowhere was there the opportunity to explain my German/Euro connection.
Should I apply differently, or is your bank not interested in my business for the rest of my life?

Yes, that is right. The DKB don’t accept people from other countries, which are not speaking German. DKB’s plan for the next years is to grow in Germany, not outside.

You can try it at Comdirect. But remember: both banks are totally free … so they are cautious with account opening with people who it is difficult or expensive to check the creditworthiness.

I am sure that the market of online accounts will be change in the next month and years … in future it will be normal to open a bank account with debit card online from UK or other EU countries in Germany.

Too bad those border restrictions within the current EU.
I live in Holland, only 15km from the German border, and being in Germany is part of both my work and my social life. My German language skills are good. But if I understand correctly it is not possible for me to open a DKB konto.

I am a German Citizen but have lived abroad for most of my life and don’t have much of a credit history of which to speak of in Germany. How would this influence my eligibility and ability to open a DKB account? Verification of identity would be a trivial affair.

Hello, I’m thinking about opening bank account. But probably some years later, I will have to go back to my country. Question is if I can receive the new credit card in my country when it is expired. I expect i don’t have residential address in Germany to get it.

Thank you very much for the informative website.
I am an immigrant living and working in Germany. I am looking to switch my bank account to a direct bank as I need a credit card. I find DKB, ING DiBa, ComDirect to be good but I am not sure if these bank provide their services in English. I looked in the websites of these banks none of them are in English. I am a bit hesitant to have an account in a bank which does not provide support in English. Could you please suggest me some direct bank which supports in English if not the website at least in the telephone in case of some problem.

Thank you for the informative post! I live in Saudi Arabia, where my money is kept in a bank account, but I am moving to Germany by month end, and I am looking for the best/easiest/less costly way to move my money to a German bank account that also offers a prepaid credit card (I don’t need a credit line and don’t wish to pay/earn interest). What would be the best option?
I thought I may just apply to a current account, then transfer money online from my Saudi bank account to a German bank account but it seems that the fees and exchange rate differ from one back to the other. What would be the German bank that would offer me the best exchange rate (SAR to EUR)?
I can consider getting a prepaid credit card from an independent provider such as PayAndGo instead of needing one from the bank I sign up for, so it isn’t a priority but it would surely be better if you can recommend a bank that can meet all requirements!

That is correct, it is a wonderful idea to use the DKB bank account as a salary account, because then you will automatically receive an overdraft limit in the amount twice as much as the monthly salary. And this on the current account and credit card. If necessary, this can even be increased up to three times the monthly salary: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/dkb-overdraft/

That was actually quite helpful; I have already found out about Number26 and thought it is my best option so I am glad I am getting expert recommendation for it as well 🙂

I actually chose Number26 because it doesn’t take nor give any interest at all.

If the Mastercard rates are in fact carried out as per this link https://www.mastercard.com/global/currencyconversion/; then that’s great! That’s the best conversion rate I can get, with no need for money transfer, as I have already checked out TransferWise and found that it does not support SAR like many other services like it. Hopefully some time soon it will.

Do you have any information if Number26 account can be opened in currencies other than EUR, such as USD? And do you mean that I can transfer from my Saudi account in SAR to my N26 in EUR, the only fee I’d pay would be my Saudi bank’s fees (around 7 EUR), but none on N26’s sides? That would be ideal!

That is correct, there are no fees on the part of N26. If and when there is a USD-Dollar account at Number26 is difficult to determine. It is a start-up company and therefore, information of the supplier is often a little chaotic.

Please post any other comments about Number26 directly here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/number26/ because otherwise, it will become confusing for those who are looking for good information about the DKB and the account opening there. Thank you!

Furthermore, one should understand German, because the account application and online banking is only available in German language.

Finally, there is a creditworthiness check at the DKB that one has to pass.

You must understand: a bank that offers a completely free current account with a free Visa credit card and worldwide free cash withdrawals must be careful, which customers it approves. Despite the freedom of cost in important areas, it must be capable of earning money. It is a company, not a social welfare office 😉

I have part of the property in Germany, but I am not living or working in Germany. In order to get some services and to pay for them I need German bank account. What is the procedure? Can i do everything without going to Germany? Do i need to do any identification or anything else? Can i do this online? I am from EU country. Should i write my address where i live or I should I insert the address of the property i own in Germany?

Gregor thanks for your replay. So let me better understand, i can open prepaid bank account (the one in the link) being as foreign by online form? But still i need to declare residential address ? Or it is enough to identify myself through Deutsche post? As i understand both i need to do being physically in Germany?

Please read the linked article with attention. You will find the answers to your questions there. We do not offer a personal consulting (as almost no one really wants to pay for a professional consulting). Reading here, is free of charge and as long as you want 🙂 Good luck!

I am an Australian citizen living in Australia but currently on holiday in Germany. Can I open a DKB account, and have the card sent to my partners parents house here in Germany? I am not registered at the German address.

I am santi, a PhD Student at TU Dresden, I will stay in Dresden for 3 years, is it possible for me to apply as DKB customer/DKB Student Card. I have arealdy tried to apply, but the online application system is refusing.

thank you the response and in above link in the section of ” Never state too little income” , yes – you are right that family support is also part of income , i hope i can increase my monthly income higher now. Do have any idea how much is the base value for application acceptance for University level students. As currently i am earning 1.1K from my university Hiwi job

Hello.
I’m portuguese citizen (EU) living in New York for couple of years moving back to Portugal. Would I be able to open and keep an account since I won’t live or am german citizen? I would use my Manhattan adress to open (apply) now because I’m still living here until december, then I would update my adress with the one from Portugal.
-And my bank now is in USA how would deposit/ transfer money? Would I need a special international account or just a basic one would do it?
Thank you very much.

Can I also deposit money into my DKB account through the western union in NYC? I mean I give them the money and they deposit in my online account.
I have sent money to different countries but never to a online account, usually to a real bank.
Thank you

For many years, this was possible with the DKB. Since summer of 2014, such constellations of account openings do not work anymore. I hope that this will be possible for the benefit of us internationally moving bank customers in the course of the European inland market and later perhaps also TIPP.

Hi, I’m originally from Jamaica and I’ve been living in Germany for 3 years now. I now have permanent residency and am trying to get more serious about my finances. I’ve never had a bank account because I haven’t worked-I’ve been studying German for the time being. I definitely feel better about working, and I’ve gotten a job but I need an account now. My husband doesn’t really explain well (He’s from Germany) and I’m so glad I found your website My husband just takes cash from the ATM as he never uses his Girocard or Visa for anything.

I think my Schufa record is good, I’ve had a phone contract, that was completed as of last month-but that’s all. I have never missed any payments in those 24 months, they were all on time. My salary will be 25.000€ a year. I have some questions though about banking though (sorry for the long post):
1. Are the Visa card credit limit and the Dispo limit 2 different things, or are they the same thing?
2. For me, at a salary of 25.000€ and a 24month phone contract completed, is it likely I will be approved for the Dispo and/or Visa limit?
If I am approved, how much do you think the limit(s) will be?
3. I’ve seen 2 different things, will the Visa card payments be taken out on Mondays, or once a month?
Thank You so much!

1. The Visa card credit limit refers to the credit limit on your Visa card, but the Dispo limit (if you get one) refers to a potential credit line on your banking account.
2. I am sorry, but the approval of a bank and any credit desicsions depend on several variables, so that I cannot give you an answer here.
3. If you have money deposited (as in prepaid) on your Visa card and you pay with this card, the payment is taken out of that deposit amount immediately. When it comes to the Visa card credit line, then these amounts will be collected and taken out of your banking account once a month, around the 22. of each month (maybe one or two days earlier, depending on whether it is a business day or not).

Hi
My name is Amin, i am a student here in Germany. I was going through all the credit card sites so i found this one. I want to know that can i open an account in this bank and is there ant student offers from this bank.

the DKB account is that good, that it does not need to give any extra incentives for certain job groups or income groups ;-). No matter if student or not, the account and the Visa Card are free of charge anyway!

I am working in Munich as an Engineer and also have a Blue Card (Work Permit). I have three questions regarding the credit Card.
1. Presently I live in a c/o address. Will this be a problem in issuing the Card?
2. How much credit limit will I get in the start? I have a fixed decent salary.
3. How long it takes to get the credit Card after applying?
Regards,

The DKB is a bank that due to its very good offer is very particular about their credit assessment. Therefore, some people may experience difficulties getting approved for “DKB Cash” immediately, if they are new to the country. A c/o-address would not factor well in the credit assessment. Is it perhaps possible to do without the c/o and have your name installed on the letterbox?

Usually the starting credit limit ranges between 100 to 1.000 Euro. Once you start receiving your salary on your account, after 1-2 months your credit limit is usually raised to the double value of one month’s salary. More is possible, too – pls. see article: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/dkb-overdraft/

After your account application and the legitimization process is done, it takes about 2 weeks until you can use your card. You will receive several letters that contain your cards, the PINs and your access information for online banking.

I’m a student from Thailand who will be studying in Germany for about 11 months (spanning from winter semester to summer semester). In which my visa application might require a blocked account of 8700 euros with a 50 euros fee! So I naurally don’t want to open a ban account because the fee is so expensive. Still, opening a bank account is neccessary for my stay in Germany, so what I’m asking is that all processes like the opening of a bank acoount, money transfer for my rent payment etc. are all free correct?
Also to deposit money in my account, is it possible if I transfer the money abroad in foreign currency that is Thai Baht to my account? Any fees that I have to pay for the transfer aside from the bank exchange rate? My income will be from my family and the money will be in Thai Baht.

I’m very interested in opening a DKB account but it seems a little tricky for foreign students. So would my option for Comdirect be a safer choice?

Neither DKB nor Comdirect open blocked accounts. Please contact the bank that has been recommended during the application process for the Visa. In most cases, that is the Deutsche Bank. The fee of 50 Euro is already subsidized, because an account opening, its closure later and the use for a few months are significantly more expensive.

You can transfer money from many countries inexpensively via TransferWise. Regrettably, Thailand is currently not connected to that network yet, but that will change in the future. Good luck in Germany!

Hello!
I am Eric, I’ll be in a student exchange in Karlsruhe, Germany from October 2016 to August 2017 (a whole year)
I already have accommodation and german student visa, but I’m still in the search for a bank account (NOT blocked)
I ~think I read that DKB no longer accepts foreigns opening bank accounts, is that true?
How can I open a bank account online?
I want to transfer money from my current job into that bank account before I arrive to Germany.

I basically need to open a german bank account before I get to Germany. Can I do this in DKB? If not, could you please lead me to a bank that would?
Thank you very much.

Thanks a lot of the reply Gregor.
One more thing:
I’ll be staying in Germany for a year, and after I get to Germany, can I physically open a DKB bank account providing my student visa (or student id) and my address at Germany?

You can try it, when you are in Germany. DKB has become more hesitant though with potential customers who are only in Germany for a short time. Often, people would use the accounts only for the free-of-charge withdrawal of cash (which means DKB had to cover the costs), without doing much else with the accounts. After leaving Germany, they would either cancel the account or leave it without message.

For a bank that does not charge any account administration fees (not for the Visa Card, either), it is not easy to work with such customers on an economic level.
DKB is the best recommendation for people who are willing to have their salary transferred there and really use the account, maybe even have a savings or custodial account there or maybe later use the bank for financing.

For people who are only in Germany for a short time we recommend opening an account with a provider who charges a fee for the account. In exchange you get an account immediately and do not need to be bothered regarding the credit check (which is customary in Germany if you want to open a free-of-charge Giro account) or a potential negatory decision.

Note DKB it seems rejects customers without a Schufa rating, I received a notice approx a week after Postident process stating account opening wasn’t possibe at this time. Unexpected and can only relate to Schufa even though I made it clear in the application that I didn’t require any credit facility.

Hi. I have a DKB account. I am going to London this weekend. What is the best way to get money there with my cards? Can I get money on the ATM without paying fees with my Visa card? Or will I have to pay due to the conversion from euros to pounds? Can I also pay directly in supermarkets without problems and fees with the VISA card? The giro card is useless abroad, correct? Thank you.

Hi. Until the removal of foreign transaction fees (Auslandseinsatzentgelt) it is the most inexpensive to withdraw cash from the ATM and pay in cash. DKB does not claim a fee for that.

Be careful with the ATMs in the UK: Many ATMs try to “lure“ tourists into “fee traps“ by showing confusing options on the monitor … and most of the banking customers don’t notice it. Have a look at our article Withdrawing Money in Hungary. It’s sort of like that in the UK as well.

Hi. Thank you for your quick answer. So this way I will try to get money only at banks ATM machines. Anyway I always try to avoid the machines from strange companies I don’t know, even in Germany. I was just hoping I could also pay with my card without fees and to avoid to have many pounds with me. I don’t want to come back to Germany with money that is useless here if I am not able to spend it all there 🙂 but if there is really no fee then I will just do small whitdraws when I need.
Thank you once again. I got a DKB account some months ago and your website has been very helpful.

Hi there
Can I as an Australian citizen (German speaking) open an account on line. The reason for the account is to deposit a small pension which I don’t want to transfer to Australia every month. If not possible can you give me other options. I do have relatives in Bayern.

Congratulations, you have a very special advantage to have relatives in Bavaria.

The only possibility you have with DKB is to try to open up a joint account. As first account owner, the person from Germany should be registered. Please bear in mind that each of you individually will be authorized to dispose of the account.

Also, a relative could open a single account and then name you as authorized person. This would be even easier, though not quite right, because like that it would not be your account!

From the bank’s perspective it does not make any sense to open a free-of-charge ac-count for somebody who lives on the other side of the world. The account opening, ad-ministration as well as the credit cards cost the bank a lot of money, even if they do not charge the customer for that. The bank can only be compensated for these costs, if the account owner either frequently uses the credit cards for payments or uses other products like saving products or credits.

From their experience the bank knows that such account openings with the owner’s residence far abroad are a money-losing business. That is why almost all banks worldwide are rather reluctant with such account applications.

Exemptions are accounts with monthly fees, like they are offered by e.g. PayCenter. Here the provider earns money in-dependently from the actual use. Currently, legitimization is only possible via the Post (post office) in Germany. Next year there will be a video solution, so that one can comfortably open the account from abroad as well.

Hi,
my wife and I live nearby Chicago, Illinois, USA. My wife is a German citizen with a German passport. I am American. My wife needs a current account in Germany. She wants to share the account with me.

I speak German fluently. Transactions through the account per month: about Euros 4,000. I have read that the DKB wants to focus only on Germany, Switzerland and Austria. There are exceptions. Is it worth the trouble to try and get an account?

Yes, there are good chances. As a German citizen, your wife can apply for the DKB-account almost from everywhere in the world (also from the USA). If you apply for a joint account, then you can have the account together. You will get exactly the same card equipment as she does.

Things to note herein:

Also people, who do not live in Germany, must fulfill the same creditworthiness requirements as we do in Germany.

Your wife can legitimate via VideoIdent, as she has valid German ID-documents.

Your legitimating will be a little more difficult, because a bank cannot be familiar with all ID-types of the world through the webcam. A possibility is the bank legitimating procedure in which a US-bank proves and confirms your identity via form or you can make the legitimating in a German post branch office during your next Germany-trip. More on that subject: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/de/dkb/legitimation/

Good luck!

PS: Alternatively, your wife can open a single DKB-account and include you as an authorized person to the account as a next step. Being an authorized person, you can also get the complete card equipment and an access to the online-banking.

Visa-Sparaufträge: You have the opportunity to determine the monthly transfer of a specific amount from your Giro account to your Visa card in order to enhance the balance there.

As standard, a Visa Card is issued. Formerly you had the option to apply for a second Visa Card for saving purposes, since a balance there incurs interest. Since December 1, 2016, this optional second Visa Card is issued on a virtual basis and is called “DKB Visa-Tagesgeld”. You can find further information in our article about the changes in their terms and conditions: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/new-dkb-conditions/

Lastschriftrückgabe: direct debit returns/returns by the debtor bank (in cases where there is not enough money available on the debited account)

Cash im Shop: This is an option for when you shop at selected retailers in Germany and can withdraw cash from your Giro account when paying your purchases at the cash register.

Thank you for the prompt reply and clarification. Having just open the account 3 months ago and I sure don’t like the new changes, especially not being an active user that’s because my German pension is less than Euro 700 a month.

Maybe you can explain the statement below.
“With this comparatively low amount (Postbank: Euros 3,000), most people have an easy time to remain an active customer and therefore be in the middle column of our comparison (see above)”

Hello,
I already have an account. I noticed that when I took cash out of the local cash machines near my house (Sparkasse and Santander), I get charged 4.95€ for each withdrawal! Is DKB affiliated with any other banks which won’t charge for taking cash out?
Thanks

Hello! If you have used the DKB Visa Card, this does not incur fees for cash withdrawals. We have done that ourselves a hundred of times. But sometimes new customers mistake the Visa Card for the Girocard … here’s the difference: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/dkb-cards/

Hello!
I would like to ask if I could still open a bank account (saving account?) in DKB with me being EU citizen living outside of Germany. I dont speak German though, i could work the online banking with Google Translate though. Would you recommend me to open an account to another bank maybe? I also wouldnt mind if i had to travel for the account opening to a local branch in Germany.

DKB does not seem to be the right bank for you, they don’t offer separate savings accounts. It really is a high quality giro account with Visa Card and credit line. In order to use the account, more than Google Translate is neccessary.

You can find information regarding savings accounts that are offered in Germany here.

I am an Australian who has been accepted to study a bachelor degree in Germany (3 years, after which I hope to find work in Germany) and need to open a bank account. I have a couple of questions:

1. Approximately how long does it take to open up a DKB-cash account?
2. Am I able to open the account before entering Germany if I already have organised a place of residence in Germany?
3. Do I need to show the document from the Residents Registration Office to open up the bank account or can I do it without?
4. I do not speak German but my boyfriend speaks it fluently, will this be a problem opening up an account? (i.e. is the German language requirement an actual reason to not be accepted for the account?)

Do you know how DKB is cooperating with Zahlungskontengesetz? EU law requires banks to offer basic bank account to any EU resident, regardless of physical presence. Maybe this is a way for EU resident to get a DKB account?

DKB of course does offer a “Basiskonto” as regulated by EU laws. If you are interested in that, please contact the bank directly. On this specialty portal for smart banking customers we exclusively work with the best options on the market, which at DKB is the free-of-charge giro account with equally free-of-charge Visa Card and many other benefits – the “DKB Cash” account.

Does the Girocard support the German Giropay system (meaning does it work like an EC-Karte)? The reason I ask is because N26 issues a Maestro debit card but it’s not an actual EC-Karte/Girocard and therefore not accepted at places that only accept EC-Karten.

Hi,
I am planning to open a joint account in DKB.
I have couple of questions:

a) How can I withdraw cash from the account free of charge? Is it through Giro card or Visa credit card?
b) From which ATM can I withdraw cash free of charge?
c) If using Visa card to withdraw cash then what are the charges since it is a credit card?

Hi,
I have opened a joint DKB bank account, and deposited money into this account. I have successfully used the DKB Visa Card to pay via contactless.
However, I am unable to withdraw money from an ATM with the DKB Visa Card.
Any reason for this? Do I have to ‘activate’ the Visa Card by calling an phone number (this is common to do in the UK)?

Please bear in mind that the minimum cash withdrawal at the ATM is 50 Euro or the corresponding amount in foreign currency. A too small withdrawal amount is the most common mistake when an withdrawal does not work.

Background: Each withdrawal costs the bank 1-2 Euro. This fee is taken over by DKB for us customers. But this has to make sense from an economic point of view, which is not the case with a withdrawal from e.g. 10 PST. Many other banks take a lump summ fee between 2 und 10 Euro per withdrawal at the ATM. In these cases, the bank does of course not care about the customer’s withdrawal amount, because the bank makes money from it.

Hello!
I’m a Argentinian living in Germany since one year with a WHV. I will like to open a DKB account, but I will like some day close the account from outside of Germany (because I dint know when I will return) that it’s possible? How we can close the account?
Thanks.
Natalia

Of course, you can simply cancel the DKB account again. A simple letter with original signature to the bank is sufficient. This letter can also be sent from abroad. Please state your IBAN and the BIC from your foreign bank, so that the residual amount can be transferred there.

Anyway, we would like to ask you to refrain from opening an account there: Account holders in situations like yours would/can make it unnecessarily difficult for other prospective DKB customers to get an account, or they might even not get an account there anymore at all.

DKB is one of the best banks, offering so many great services free of charge. This only pays off for the bank if the customer uses the account permanently and over many years.

The account opening alone costs the bank already over 200 Euro … and if one cancels the account after a few months, because one leaves Germany … and perhaps even wants to open it again a year later, because one is back again – then this is very bad business for the bank.

The bank used to open an account for people coming from abroad relatively easily. Experience showed, however, that this was often an expensive business for the bank. That’s why it is more difficult for today’s interested people to get an account approved. And if people continue to do like described above, then soon there will be more restrictions for account openings.

Quite simply, if you would like to have a German account for only a few months or only for the duration of your studies, you should not apply for it at DKB.

first of all this website is super useful and clear, thank you for this.

I am a new DKB customer, living in Germany.

My question is about the Visa credit card. I understand there is a minimum amount for withdrawals (that’s the most probable reason why my recent attempt failed), but I want to share my last experience with a declined payment in a shop.

I was trying to pay with my DKB visa card an amount that was available in my konto, but was over the initial limit of my card which is now 100 Euro.

If I was paying, let’s say 200, and this sum was available on my konto, should have the payment gone through?

New customers, whose credit standing has not been increased yet by incoming salary, often have a very small credit line. The solution without incoming salary is simple: Transfer the money you want to withdraw from the DKB Visa Card free of charge to the DKB Girokonto and from there simply to the credit card account. The credit limit of the card consists of the credit line + deposit/transfer.

Gregor – and many other smart banking customers as well – do not need to make deposits, because they have their incoming salary on the DKB account and therefore have been granted a larger line of credit.